Your toilet is draining slowing or you can’t figure out how to remove a stuck angle valve, so you decide to quickly hire someone who knows a bit about plumbing but doesn’t have a license because they’re available and cheap.
You think, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”
Actually, a lot of terrible things can result from this hasty decision. Hiring an unlicensed plumber is incredibly risky for several reasons. In this blog, we’ll dive into the three main dangers when you choose not to call a professional for your plumbing needs.
You won’t be protected by insurances
According to Angie’s List, contractors (including plumbers) should have two kinds of insurance —
liability and worker’s compensation.
These two types of insurance protect homeowners from paying for any damages the plumber might accidentally cause. For example, if the unlicensed plumber unsuccessfully drains the toilet and instead clogs it more so that it floods the house, you’ll have to pay for the costly repairs if they don’t have liability insurance.
Unfortunately, your homeowner’s policy won’t usually cover the costs of those damages.
Worker’s compensation will protect you from your insurance rates going up if the plumber gets injured while working in your home. While your homeowner’s insurance policy may pay for some of the worker’s claim, your insurance rates will mostly likely increase.
Your house can be damaged
Not only will you have to pay for the damages to your home if the plumber doesn’t have liability insurance, the list of possible things that could go wrong is endless.
Maybe a rattling pipe or poorly installed water heater doesn’t sound too bad, but they can turn into very serious issues. For example, if the plumber messes up while working on pipes, your house can flood. Likewise, if they’re dealing with wires and something goes wrong, they can unintentionally start a fire.
It puts lives in danger
From floods to fires, an unlicensed plumber can accidentally cause catastrophes through a simple slip-up.
A few other major dangers include:
- Gas leaks
- Electrocution
- Chemical poisoning
- Sewer leaks
If any one of these problems occur, it can threaten your safety as well as your family’s and the plumber’s safety. Hiring a plumber who doesn’t have licenses simply isn’t worth the possibility of putting your home, not to mention your life, at risk.
All staff at Mike Wilson Plumbing are fully licensed, so you can rest assured that your property and family will be protected. Don’t take any chances — think again and reach out to the experts today!